(CNN) - Ken Buck, a Republican Senate candidate in Colorado, is causing a stir after recent comments asking voters for support "because I do not wear high heels."
The off-color remark that drew roaring laughter at a recent campaign event, came in response to an ad campaign from his GOP opponent in the primary race, former Lieutenant Gov. Jane Norton. In the ads, Norton says Buck is not "man enough" to attack her in person but instead lets third-party groups do it.
"She has questioned my manhood; I think it's fair to respond," says Buck to more laughter from the crowd. "I have cowboy boots on. They have real bull- on 'em. That's Weld County bull-, not Washington D.C. bull-."
Video of the remark was posted by an anonymous user on YouTube, and the Norton campaign has now released a new ad highlighting the remark.
A spokesman for Buck blames Norton for injecting the gender issue into the campaign.
"The Norton campaign wants gender politics to be an issue in this campaign. They are the ones who have talked about it. Last week, she even put up a television ad in which she says, "you would think Ken would be man enough to do it himself," spokesman Owen Lofthus said in an e-mail to reporter.
"The fact is, gender has nothing to do with Norton's drop in the polls or Ken's Buck's rise, no matter how hard the Norton campaign try to use personal attacks on Ken Buck to shift the campaign away from the issues," Lofthus also said.
Meanwhile Norton spokeswoman Cinamon Watson told the Grand Junction Sentinel that Buck "is going to have to use all of his best lawyer-speak to explain this really stupid statement."
Norton enjoys the backing from national Republicans and has a clear money advantage over Buck. But Buck, the Weld Country District Attorney, has enjoyed strong support from the Tea Party movement and leads Norton in several recent polls by single digits.
The winner of that contest will race the victor of the Democratic battle between incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet and former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff this November.
Both party's primaries will be held on August 10.
Sexism on each side of a GOP race...and this is surprising news?
And to think that these people are going to solve nation's problem talking about heels and boots. What a shame that people elect such cartoons in the orffice.
Republicans continue to make false controversies because they still don't have any viable plans. They just copy democrat plans and add in a tax break to make them sound different (even though democrat plans also have tax incentives and tax breaks). On rare occasions they actually have something different... because instead they just copied their plan from the George Dubya years... yes, the same agenda that got us into this recession in the first place. No thanks!
SO? What the big deal left wing mouth breathers
What a moron.
Just goes to show that Republicans, no matter the 'support' for Palin, do not think a woman is qualified to hold office. All the more reason that Palin, Bachmann and Brewer will never be relevant in the Rep. Party.
will Failin Palin come in and decry his comment??
Have you seen the size of Ken's feet?
No wonder he can't find a nice pair of heals.
Although he's got that old guy chest flab going on and could really use a nice training bra.
How much lower can American Politics go?
Politicians have become so Juvenile. No offense to juveniles. I know many who not only are smarter than most of these politicians we see, but also have much more common sense.
He or she, it doesn't matter. Republicans are the darkness at the beginning, middle and end of the tunnel. The are totally responsible for every big disaster in America: Attacking the wrong country after 9/11 to get their greedy paws on foreign oil; causing the collapse of the U.S. financial enterprise; and deregulating big oil companies that led to the biggest ecological disaster in world history through BP.
Three strikes GOP – yerrrrrrrrrrrrrr OUT!!!!
Any can care less about any GOBPer, but I do care that CNN excludes the full response from Buck, and in what context he made the response. CNN is right behind FOX in it's pursuit of toilet journalism.
Just what we need. Another thick skull cowboy spewing bumper sticker slogans on his way to Washington. Are there any intelligent politicians out there? Yeah, right...
We Colorado Democrats are having a wonderful time watching the GOP candidates in this state continue to shoot themselves in the feet and ruin their own campaigns. Both Buck and Norton think their extreme right-wing views represent the people of our great state; they are not even remotely close. Surprise, neither will be elected to the U.S. Senate.
Rage, rage against the lying of the Right!
We are getting a lil' too thin skinned in this political game. You say I'm not man enough, I say you wear high heels. lol. Personally I think it is hilarious and we should have more of this type of banter since we cant seem to get any substance from these politicians. Get Real People. We have real problems in this country that needs fixing.
Hmmmm... somebody is trying to compensate for something. I think they make pills for that sort of thing.
priceless – and awesome
I LOVE it when the righties bicker among themselves. But whether high heels or cowboy boots, they will all be walking out of town in November!
This story is not a very good example, but when is everyone going to learn that liberals have such thin skin which drives political correctness to the point where nothing can be discussed.
racism abounds and gets headlines.
sexism is worse 'cause we pretend it doesn't exist.
I think he might be a pussycat. But then again he may not be a cat.
Ya know.............these days all one has to do is sit back,
relax and let the GOP keep talking........................................................
They sure do dig a BIG hole for themselves.
I'm a democrat and I don't see anything wrong with what he said. If you follow the campaign then the joke is funny, if you don't, it isn't ,but I don't see anything out of line with it.
Good lord lol
Hey Buck if it smells like bull sh(t and looks like bullsh(t regardless of where you're from (Washington or Weld County) then it is STILL
bullsh(t!
Sorry buddy but you are a simpleton who is trying to play on the conservative attitude of male dominance. Too bad the Mama Grizzlies from your own party don't come charging in!